Compartment-box.



No. 66|,038. 'Patented Nov.- 6, |900.

J. R. COLE. Y

COMPARTMENT BOX.

(Application led Aug-2, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 sums-sheet l.

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CUMPARTME'NT BOX.

(Application led Aug. 2, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheats-Sheet 2.

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@Wit nvvnbar mm @gw 5% Mg M, J7 r M UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

JONAH ROGERS COLE, OF NFV YORK, N. Y.

COMPARTMENT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 661,038, datedNovember 6, 1900.

Application filed August 2, 1900. Serial No. 25,639. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONAH ROGERS COLE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of New York city, county and State of New York,have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Compartment-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in compartment-boxes-that is,boxes formed with compartments therein adapted to receive and containperishable articles of substantially uniform size, such as eggs andfruit, for purposes of transportation.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings,designating the parts by numerals, referring to like parts by likenumerals.

Figure 1 is a plan Viewl of a blank employed by me in constructing mybox, the same being shown as undercut or transversely indented in theusual way preparatory to folding. Fig. 2 isa section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a blank similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with the apertures andspring-flanges cut out of material of the blank. Fig. 4 is a section ofthe same, taken on the line nc. Fig. 5 is a plan view of my box formedby folding the blank shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 5,showing in dotted lines the manner in which the same may be foldedtogether.

Fig. 7 is the same as Fig. 5 with the spring flanges or cushionsdepressed to their operative position. Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is a blank or strip of suitable material intended to beinterposed between the open ends of my said boxes when they are foldedtogether. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of Fig. 7 along the line yy.Fig. 11 is a trans` verse section of my box when the same is foldedtogether'. Fig. 12 is a perspective View showing my box folded togetherand inally inclosed by an inclosing band or wrapper.

I will now describe my compartment-box according to the manner in whichthe blank is constructed, folded together, and bound into the completednew article of manufacture.

lisa blank formed, preferably,of cardboard or any other materialsuitable for the purpose. I prepare this blank for folding by scoring orindenting the same transversely, as along the lines 2 2, &c. Thesescores or indentations 35, 36 and 36, and 29.

serve the purpose of weakening the blank along those lines, to the endthat it may be bent about a rectangular form with greater facility andaccuracy. I divide this blank into thirteen subdivisions, (indicated as3 to 16, inclusive.) The next operation is that of cutting the aperturein the blank to form the compartment. I will describe one of thesections of a compartment, which will serve to illustrate the operationof cutting all the others.

I score the blank 1 along the lines 17 to 28, inclusive. These are'shown in section in Fig. 4. This score is substantially similar to thatdescribed in reference to the transverse scores 2. I then make the cuts35 and These cuts are sectionaldivisions of the blank l, and the'cuts 29are shownin the section 4, .the same being indicated as 29 to 34,inclusive. It will be noted that I have thus vformed the flexibleflanges 37 and 38, which when they are depressed (which will behereinafter described) form elastic cushions. In the structure which Iam here describing I form these apertures in those sections of the blankwhich are numbered 4, 6, 13,-and l5. 41 to 47, inclusive, indicatepartitions formed between the compartments when the box is folded, ashereinafter described. The blank having thus been formed, I am in aposition to fold the same in the.. manner following. I fold the section3, 4, 5, and 6 into a rectangle and secure the section 7 to the outsideof the section 3 by an adhesive substance or otherwise. I then form ofthe section 6, 7, 8, and 9 a rectangle and secure the sect-ions 5 and 9together in like manner. I then form of the section l0, 1l, l2, and 13 arectangle and secure the sections 14 and V10 together. I then form ofthe section 13, 14, l5, and 416 a'rectangle and secure the sections 16and12 together. This Vstructure will be seen in Fig. 6, where I havealso indicated in dotted lines the two halves of my box 39 and 40,showing the range of movement of these two boxes as the open tops of thesame may be brought face to face.

In Fig. l() I have shown an egg introduced into one of the compartmentsof the structure described above, where it will be noted that with theintroduction of the egg or other ob- IOO ject to be inclosed therein theflanges 37 and 3S are first pressed downward, thus being separated,andas the egg is further depressed into the compartment the flanges 4S and49 are also depressed. It will be understood that these flanges beingsimply undercut retain a certain spring tension, which operates to holdthem in their normal position-that is to say, parallel with the blankandwhen they are pressed out of this position they operate with aspring-pressure upon the object displacing them, and to the extent ofthe strength of the resistance of their spring they serve as acnshionfor the object displacing them. Thus it will be seen that the egg 50 isheld within the compartment priniarily by contact with the four wings37, 38, 4S, and 49. The base of the egg rests on the base of thecompartment, as 8, and the partitions 42 43, dac., serve as definitesupports to sustain the egg in position. It will now be seen that I haveconstructed two boxes, as 39 and 40, each containing six compartmentsand that these two boxes are hinged together at their upperedges, sothat when they are closed together the open top of one closes the opentop of the other. I now introduce an egg or similar article into eachcompartment, and should I close the two boxes together the ends of theeggs in the opposite compartments would make contact. This isobjectionable in some articles-as, for instance, fruit. I therefore findit desirable to introduce between the tops of the two boxes where theyare closed together a strip of pasteboard or similar material, such as51, this strip serving to separate the eggs in the compartments and alsoto cushion the ends of the eggs.

In Fig.' ll I have shown a transverse section of package foldedtogether, containing eggs, with the partition 5l interposed. I theninclose the package bya suitable girdle or band. This band may serve thepurpose also of the wrapper. I may also inclose the ends; but in theshipment of eggs and some fruits it is desirable that the ends be leftopen in order that air may circulate through the box, and thus ventilatethe same.

It will thus be seen that in the structure described I have formed apackage which maybe of any suitable size and may contain any number ofcompartments. This package isadapted to serve the purpose of inclosingarticles like eggs in a convenient form and in definite quantities-as,for instance, one dozen eggs. This package may be closed by asealing-label at the place of production and delivered to the consumerin the form in which the same is originally packed. The

arrangement o f the cells or compartments is such as to serve to cushionthe eggs or articles within the cells, so as to transport the sainewithout breakage and to maintain the same in a definite and independentposition, each egg being separated from all the others in the tray andeach egg being cushioned by the elastic wings bearing upon the saine andsupported by the transverse braces or partitions @L2 and 43. At the sametime the box is free and open to the passage of air, so that theobjections incident to the sweating of such articles in transit areavoided.

What I claim isl. A new article of manufacture, a shipping-boxconsisting of two boxes, each having a base and four walls, and eachhaving a top and a central horizontal partition, the said tops andpartitions being provided with central apertures to receive the subject-mat ter to be inclosed therein, the said boxes being boundtogether so that their open sides close each other, substantially asdescribed.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a packing-box consisting of twoboxes having each a base and four walls, a top and a central horizontalpartition, and apertures in said box and partitions to receive thearticle to be inclosed therein with elastically-hinged flangesinterposed in said apertures, the said boxes being hinged together sothat their open tops will close each other; a strip of suitable materialinterposed between said boxes when they are thus closed, and a bandencircling both boxes, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a compartment-box consisting of tworight-angular forms, each having a central horizontal partition;suitable apertures in the top of the box and the partitions to receivethe articles to be inclosed therein; said forms being hinged together atthe edges of their tops so that, when folded together, the top of onecloses the top of the other, with a partition interposed between theboxes when folded together; a suitable band binding the two boxestogether, substantially as described.

et. As a new article of manufacture, a compartment-box consisting of tworight-angular forms, each having a central horizontal partition;suitable apertures in the top of the box and the partitions to receivethe articles to be inclosed therein, with flanges interposed in saidapertures, said iianges being hinged with a -suitable spring tension,and said forms being hinged together at the edges of their tops, so thatwhen folded together, the top of one closes the top of the other with apartition interposed between the boxes, when folded together, a suitableband biuding the two boxes together, substantially as described.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a compartment-box formed of onepiece of cardboard, or equivalent material scored transversely to dividethe same into suitable strips or walls certain of said strips beingprovided with suitable apertures of a size to receive the article to beinclosed; this blank being folded and secured to form two connectedboxes, substantially as described.

6. As a new article of manufacture, acompartment-box formed of one pieceof card- IIO board, or equivalent material scored transversely to dividethe saine into suitable strips or Walls; certain of said strips beingprovided with suitable apertures of a size to receive the article to beinclosed; flanges cutout of the cardboard to form the apertures; theseflanges being interposed in the apertures to form cushion-bearings, saidcardboard being folded and secured to form two connected boxes,substantially as described.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a compartaient-box formed of onepiece of cardboard, or equivalent material scored transversely to dividethe same into suitable strips or Walls certain of said strips beingprovided with suitable apertures of a size to receive

